Environmental Film Festival Melbourne

From the 16th to 19th September 2010, Melbourne will see the launch of its only dedicated environmental film festival.

This smorgasbord of feature length documentaries on cutting-edge environmental issues will entertain, inspire and frighten even the most hardened environmental cynic. Covering topics from the social unrest in Nigeria caused by Big Oil, to the consequences of our society’s obsession with The Plastic Bag, to the philosophy and dinner plates of Californian dumpster divers, there is something to whet everyone’s appetite. Many of the films will be having their Australian premieres at the festival, and have won numerous awards at international film festivals.

The team responsible for putting together the Environmental Film Festival Melbourne (EFFM) hopes that people who share their concerns about environmental issues will help make this event a fixture in Melbourne’s cultural calendar. “Everyone knows about things like climate change and protecting old-growth forests,” says Festival Director Nicholas Aberle, “but this festival will also draw attention to other really important issues and details that don’t get much air time, like ocean acidification and the mysterious disappearance of bees around the world.”

Each night of the Festival there will be an expert discussion panel to explore issues raised by the films, providing a local perspective on these global problems. In future years, the organisers plan to provide a forum for young Australian film-makers to showcase work on local environmental issues.

The festival will be held at the Kino Cinemas in Collins St. For more info, check out: